Basketball edition looking back on the 2006 season

The 2006 season would see the Bruins lose their starting point guard Jordan Farmar to the NBA. That would open up a scholarship spot for Russell Westbrook. The rest of us know the history on how he turned out as a player. Westbrook would be a defensive specialist this year as a freshman. It would be Darren Collison taking over as the starting point guard. Who himself created a nice career at UCLA and doing all the intangibles that you ask of a point guard. He could defend, score the basketball and pass.

The Bruins were no longer underdogs after they made a run to the national championship game. They returned their best player in Arron Afflalo and still had a great defense. Their offense would improve upon 2005, and this was seen as a team that had a great window to win it all this time around. Afflalo was a first team All-American and was a steady defender that could score the basketball.

Collison and Josh Shipp also each averaged double-digit points per night and Luc Richard Mbah a Moute took another step offensively with good defense as they started 14-0. The Bruins had the fourth hardest strength of schedule in the country and finished 30-6. They went on to be the No. 2 seed in the West. Making it all the way back to the Final Four. There they would match up with Florida again and the Gators would prove to be too much once again winning 76-66 and winning back-to-back titles.

Afflalo would leave for the NBA. But the Bruins had star freshman Kevin Love coming in to pair with up-and-coming Westbrook and the return of Collison and Shipp. After spending a month at No. 1 in the rankings from 11/27-12/27. The Bruins final ranking after the loss to Florida was No. 7. They were primed to make another run the following season, but the window was quickly closing. They were favorites now with a target on them.